Family, Friends Honor Man Found Mysteriously Murdered In Hunting Park
By Dan Wing
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A candlelight vigil was held in North Philadelphia Saturday evening for Bernard Ray, a 39-year old found shot to death in his car earlier this month.
Nearly 50 family members and friends gathered at the intersection of Delhi and Butler Streets in Hunting Park, the spot where Bernard Ray was found dead in his blue Ford sedan from a single gunshot to the chest on January 4th.
The very diverse group held signs and pictures of Ray, as they sang and prayed with candles in hand. Many people at the vigil, like his life-long friend Latifa DiPaolo, had just one question...why?
"Despicable,"she said. "And the idea that he of all the people, not that anyone should die, but just what a peaceful guy he was for something like that to happen it's just like mindboggling."
Daryl Kennerly says when his nephew, Bernard, came in to a room, he always "brought a sense of peace with him:"
"He always had a smile on his face. Always had that smile on his face."
And Kennerly says Ray's death is one that still stings:
"They took a big part away from us. A big part. Because Bernie was a sense of togetherness."
But Kennerly says not all the memories are bad:
"I'm gonna miss Bernie. I'm gonna miss that smile. But when I think about Bernie...when I think about him I smile, because that's what I know of Bernie. That smile."
Kennerly says his nephew had no enemies, evidenced by the diversity of the group at his vigil, and that has left the family not only sad, but scared as well:
"Whoever did this needs to know what they did. And they need to come forth. Because at this point we all have to look over our shoulders, and we shouldn't have to do that."
Authorities are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to Bernard Ray's killer.
Anyone with information may contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-8477, text a tip to PPD TIP or 773847, or visit the Philadelphia Police website.
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